Bourbon Pecan Pie
By Tested and perfected in the Sur la Table kitchen
Bourbon Pecan Pie
By Tested and perfected in the Sur la Table kitchen
Yield/Serves:
Makes 1 (9-inch) pie
Pecan Pie Filling:
Pastry dough:
- 2 cups pecans, whole or halved
- 1 tablespoon bourbon
- 3 large eggs
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ¾ cup light corn syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon salt
Pastry dough:
- 1-¼ cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter, cold, cut into ½-inch cubes
- ¼ to ⅓ cup ice water
Recipe adapted from The Art and Soul of Baking by Sur La Table and Cindy Mushet.
Preheat an oven to 350°F and position an oven rack to the lower-third of the oven. To make the dough: Either place the flour and salt in a large mixing bowl, or into a bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade. If using a mixing bowl, use a pastry blender, two knives or your fingers to cut or rub the butter into the flour mixture until the butter pieces are the size of peas. Sprinkle ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, over the flour mixture. Stir and fluff the flour mixture with a fork until shaggy clumps form. Pick up the large clumps and squeeze to test for moisture. If clumps hold together, transfer them to a work surface and continue adding tablespoons of ice water and stirring.
If using a food processor, add the cut butter to the flour and pulse mixture until the butter pieces are the size of peas. Drizzle in ice water and pulse until the flour holds together.
Gather the clumps of dough together on a work surface. If the butter feels soft, cover the dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before proceeding. If the butter still feels cold, knead the dough gently 4 or 5 times. If dough falls apart, return it to the mixing bowl and sprinkle teaspoons of ice water and mix with a fork until dough holds together when squeezed.
Flatten the dough into a disk about 6 inches wide, cover in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes before rolling.
To prepare the filling: Place the butter in a medium saucepan and melt on the stove over a moderate heat. When melted, add the sugar and stir until smooth, about 2 minutes. Remove the saucepan from the heat and whisk in the corn syrup, vanilla, bourbon and salt. In a separate bowl, add the eggs and whisk lightly, then whisk in the corn syrup mixture.
Place the partially baked crust onto a rimmed baking sheet. Arrange the pecans on the bottom of the crust. Pour the corn syrup mixture over the pecans and transfer the baking sheet into the oven to bake until the filling is set, about 50 minutes to 1 hour. Allow to cool completely before serving.
Preheat an oven to 350°F and position an oven rack to the lower-third of the oven. To make the dough: Either place the flour and salt in a large mixing bowl, or into a bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade. If using a mixing bowl, use a pastry blender, two knives or your fingers to cut or rub the butter into the flour mixture until the butter pieces are the size of peas. Sprinkle ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, over the flour mixture. Stir and fluff the flour mixture with a fork until shaggy clumps form. Pick up the large clumps and squeeze to test for moisture. If clumps hold together, transfer them to a work surface and continue adding tablespoons of ice water and stirring.
If using a food processor, add the cut butter to the flour and pulse mixture until the butter pieces are the size of peas. Drizzle in ice water and pulse until the flour holds together.
Gather the clumps of dough together on a work surface. If the butter feels soft, cover the dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before proceeding. If the butter still feels cold, knead the dough gently 4 or 5 times. If dough falls apart, return it to the mixing bowl and sprinkle teaspoons of ice water and mix with a fork until dough holds together when squeezed.
Flatten the dough into a disk about 6 inches wide, cover in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes before rolling.
To prepare the filling: Place the butter in a medium saucepan and melt on the stove over a moderate heat. When melted, add the sugar and stir until smooth, about 2 minutes. Remove the saucepan from the heat and whisk in the corn syrup, vanilla, bourbon and salt. In a separate bowl, add the eggs and whisk lightly, then whisk in the corn syrup mixture.
Place the partially baked crust onto a rimmed baking sheet. Arrange the pecans on the bottom of the crust. Pour the corn syrup mixture over the pecans and transfer the baking sheet into the oven to bake until the filling is set, about 50 minutes to 1 hour. Allow to cool completely before serving.